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P _ __ _Uo c _o <br /> + d +,r,.� ttrit S5 7rk Plat dist,&u1rc SO St.Paul, M1 561412I98 <br /> ' 4 "" , ' , T brash 651.296,40215Jaz tt:651.296.2B6Q X651.297'.75.91. <br /> — <br /> ; snin t.gatc.rnn.us <br /> September 7, 2010 <br /> Joe Sedarski <br /> Xcel Energy <br /> 414 Nicollet Mall <br /> Minneapolis, MN 55401 <br /> Melanie Curtis <br /> City of Orono <br /> PO Box 66 <br /> Crystal Bay, MN 55323 <br /> Re: Local Review of Orono Substation Expansion and 115 kV Transmission Line <br /> Commission Docket Number: E002/LR-10-957 <br /> Dear Mr. Sedarski and Ms. Curtis, <br /> Greetings. This letter confirms that the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission(Commission) <br /> has received notification that Xcel Energy intends to seek local review to expand the existing <br /> Orono substation and to connect this substation to the electrical transmission grid via a new 115 <br /> kilovolt(kV) transmission line. The expanded substation and new transmission line would be <br /> within the City of Orono in Hennepin County, Minn. <br /> Under the Power Plant Siting Act, a permit from the Commission is required for transmission <br /> line projects over 100 kV (Minn. Stat. § 216E). However, local review and permitting is <br /> possible for eligible projects (Minn. Stat. § 216E.05). For such projects, a utility may apply to a <br /> local unit of government instead of the Commission for a permit to build the project. This letter <br /> confirms that Xcel Energy's proposed project is eligible for local review. <br /> Xcel Energy has indicated that the City of Orono is the local unit of government with jurisdiction <br /> to permit the project. A conditional use permit application was submitted to the City of Orono <br /> on August 20, 2010. A local unit of government may relinquish its permitting jurisdiction by <br /> requesting that the Commission assume jurisdiction within 60 days of the filing of an application <br /> with the local unit of government(Minn. Rules 7850.5300, Subp. 4). <br /> An environmental review process, including the development of an environmental assessment <br /> (EA), must be conducted by the local unit of government with jurisdiction over the project <br /> (Minn. Rules 7850.5300). This letter acknowledges that the City of Orono is the responsible <br /> governmental unit for the proposed project and associated environmental review. <br />